How To Buy Guide - MP3 Guide

At their core, all MP3 players are the same thing: portable handheld storage devices that store and play MP3 and other audio files. You store your digital music on a computer, and "sync" them with your MP3 player. You can then detach the player and take your entire collection with you.

In spite of them all being similar in the way they operate, there are a lot of features that set MP3 players apart. Here’s a brief overview of some things to consider:

Hard Drive vs. Flash Memory – Hard drive-based MP3 players keep their data on mini hard disk drives, allowing them to store up to hundreds of gigabytes of data. You can fit an entire music collection on a hard-drive based player pretty easily.

If you want a lighter and more portable player, look for a flash memory-based MP3 player. They store their files on solid-state flash memory with no moving parts, which makes them lighter, less power-hungry, and less prone to breakage. The flipside is, they have less storage capacity.

What does it play? – MP3 players aren’t just for music anymore. Most mid-range and higher models now play videos and store photos, and many MP3 players (such as Creative’s Zen line) even have FM radio tuners built-in. When you’re shopping, knowing what the person will use it for will help you make a better decision. Further in the guide we'll help you figure out how to best match an MP3 player to the listener you’re shopping for.

How much space do you need? – At typical encoding rates, a 160GB MP3 player can hold up to 40,000 songs, 25,000 photos, or 200 hours of video. An 8GB model can hold up to 2,000 songs, 7,000 photos, or 8 hours of video.

Software – An MP3 player usually comes bundled with software to organize your music/video library on your computer. The software is key – it’s what allows Apple's iPod to work on Windows PCs, or what allows other players to run on Linux. Traditionally, it also lets you “rip” audio tracks from CDs you own, in order to place them onto your MP3 player and take them with you.

More often than not, the software you need will already be included on your PC (such as Windows Media Player for Windows PCs, or iTunes for Apple computers). You generally won’t have to buy anything extra, software-wise, to manage your media collection.

Subscription vs. Pay-Per-Download – All MP3 players allow you to play music that has been ripped from audio CDs via computer. Many also allow you to download media from digital music stores on the web for a small fee. It’s more convenient than going to the store, and also (usually) less-expensive.

In addition to offering songs for download for a one-time fee, many online retailers offer a subscription model, in which users pay a monthly fee for unlimited access to an entire library of songs. The catch is, once you stop paying the subscription fee, the songs are no longer yours to keep (which is why some people think of it as “renting music”).

If you think the person you’re shopping for will be interested in downloading songs by subscription, check and see which music stores the player supports – many players don’t support that sort of model by default.

System Compatibility – Most MP3 players out there are compatible with both Windows PCs and Macs. Just to be on the safe side, it’s best to know what the person you’re shopping for uses (if they use Linux, for instance, you probably don’t want to get them an iPod, since it’s not compatible).

As far as connecting to your computer goes, most computers have a USB or USB 2.0 connections, so that’s what most MP3 players support. However, some sync via Firewire, Bluetooth, or WiFi. Chances are, the player you choose will support USB – but if possible, know what connections your system supports to better choose a player.

If you’d like to learn more about optional features of MP3 players, read on. If you’d like to get started shopping, click here to find the perfect MP3 player gift.